Inktrap::
by Inkweaver00
Summary: Meggie, Mo and Resa now live in Cosimo the Fair's castle with Fenolgio.  But once again Meggie and the rest are caught in a trap in the web spun by Fenolgio's words, and are in another adventure they won't forget.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1:

"It'll be a hit!" exclaimed Fenolgio excitedly to Meggie, who was only half listening. Meggie was staring out the window of the room which Fenolgio had resided in, she remembered how he first took place in that room, when he wrote Cosimo his beautiful words. The view was beautiful, the sun cast a bright glow on the castle garden bathing it in gold. Meggie had never seen a more beautiful garden, there were many flowers in the Inkworld which would never have been found in her own world.

"Meggie?" Fenolgio tapped Meggie's shoulder. She jumped, startled. "Aren't you also excited for it?" he asked inquiringly, as if he didn't already know her answer. "Of course I am." Meggie replied, shifting her gaze towards Fenolgio. "And you know it." "Perhaps," replied Fenolgio. "But you don't seem so." Meggie glanced at the garden again before continuing. "You only just finished writing it." she said as she turned to Fenolgio again. "And Violante still needs to approve it." "Maybe so," started Fenolgio. "But I'm the inkweaver. The one that a prince, brought up from my words and your beautiful voice, once so desperately called for words." _Words of anger, rage. One's that would cause the people to rebel against the Adderhead. _Cosimo's voice echoed in his mind. Things would've been so much better if he was still alive, but things were going better than before, he had to admit. He looked up and saw Meggie staring blankly at him, so he continued. "The one that the Strolling Players have come to for songs, The one whose words rescued prisoners from the Adderhead's dungeons, killed Capricorn. The one…" Meggie cut him off, "I think I get it." she said. "And Violante will most probably approve it," Meggie assured Fenolgio. "Don't you want to take a look at it?" Fenolgio questioned Meggie. "That would take out the excitement when I watch the play won't it?" Meggie responded. She didn't wait for his answer. "I have to go to my Mo and Resa's room said Meggie. "We're going to the market today." Fenolgio nodded. "Be careful not to get trampled over by one of those guards or the fat horses they ride. Don't forget that today is market day in Ombra." Meggie chuckled. "I'm sure I won't." she replied sliding herself down from the windowsill and walked briskly towards the door.

The Castle of Ombra was still the same as it was before, Cosimo's statues lined up side by side, but their eyes seemed to be whispering something now. Whispering death. Whispering it as if the death Cosimo went through was now clung onto the statues. But Meggie took no notice of the statues, she was thinking about Elinor's house. She, Resa, Mo, Aunt Elinor and Darius were all paying a visit to the Inkworld, It wasn't as dangerous as it used to be, so it was easy to visit. They had also come just in time for Fenolgio's play, how happy he was when he first saw them. They were staying at the castle, too, they had spent about a week there.

It was a long walk to the room where Mo and Resa stayed, the Castle of Ombra was much bigger then it seemed the first time she walked in with Fenolgio to see the Prince of Sighs. Even if it wasn't as big as the Castle of Night, it had a more comforting smell, the Castle of Ombra was far more inviting and it seemed like the only trace of death was the icy gaze of the Cosimo Statues.

Finally she reached the floor where her parents' room was. It would've been much easier if this castle had elevators, like in her own world. The floor where Violante put her and her parents was truly magnificent. The carpet was so soft it would've made a wonderful bed, about 10 sparkling chandeliers were hung onto the ceiling. The chandeliers were so bright that during the darkest of nights, you would be able to read under them. "The finest diamonds and rubies," she remembered Violante saying. "Were put onto the chandeliers along with gold, silver and a few platinum jewels. All one of a kind found from a forgotten mine dug by the Adderhead in a deeper part of the Wayless Woods. A part where Night-Mares were so vicious they might even scare the Adderhead himself!" The wallpaper was made of leather, with bright gold jewels forming patterns around the wall. And for a final elegant touch some of Balbulus' finest illuminations were on the walls. "This floor is the most magnificent place in the entire castle!" Violante had said. "Not even the best room in the Castle of Night could compete with this one! This was where Cosimo stayed, and he was very particulate about staying in a place so wonderful angels couldn't have done it!" Violante continued, "He spent too much money on this place and now he's dead." she had said annoyed.

Meggie was excited to go to the Ombra Market, the last time she was there she was almost run over by the Piper and his horse. _Perhaps Fenolgio still remembers that. _she thought. _Maybe the warning he gave wasn't meant as a joke. _But what had happened made her more excited to go, this time she couldn't have any fear of being trampled over, for the Black Prince was ruling Ombra now. "I don't know how this could've happened." Fenolgio told her the first day they had arrived. "By all the letters in the alphabet the Black Prince is a strolling player! No one cares for them, yet one is now ruling over Ombra, he isn't even of true royal blood! This story really is spinning differently, not the way I planned." Fenolgio said.

Meggie had reached her parent's room now. She didn't even bother to knock, she opened the door only to find someone who brought back memories, horrible memories. _Is it Basta? _Meggie first thought. This wouldn't have been the first time Basta had appeared at the most unlikely time, No it wouldn't. He's done that once too many. _No, Mo killed him. _Meggie remembered. She gave a scrutinizing glance at the figure and finally realized who was before her: Mortola.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Desperate Elinor

It had been weeks since Orpheus had vanished into thin air, like he never existed, like the wind blew him away along with all the nasty memories of him being here. Elinor was lonely, even with Darius around. However much Darius tried to comfort her Elinor just grew more and more desperate to be in the Inkworld, with Mo, Resa and Meggie. Her books didn't even give her comfort, they just brought back memories, sad or happy, of days when Mo, Resa and Meggie were there, The memories that lasted barely a year. They brought back memories of the little glass men living in the attic, the brownies living in her huge trees and the fairies, finding Meggie sitting in the library and seeing Mo working in his shop with Resa curled up next to him. Faded Memories…

Sugar had long gone, a good thing he didn't get all of Elinor's money, or she'd be dead broke, In fact, he got quite a small amount. _What a cheapskate Orpheus. _Elinor had thought. _That no-good-for-nothing bastard. _Although Elinor didn't feel any pity on how little Orpheus was paying Sugar. After how Sugar had been treating them. She still had the paper but what good was the paper Orpheus left behind? Darius had explained too many times how, if he read them there, they might end up in the Inkworld deaf, blind maybe even mute like Resa had been when Darius had read her into Capricorn's church. But the need to be in the Inkworld banished the fears of Elinor, she didn't care at all how she would end up there. She cared not a single bit.

It was late in the night when Elinor got out of her room. Whether Darius liked it or not, he was going to read the 2 of them into the Inkworld. Elinor didn't care if it took him the entire night to get it correct, even the entire day! As long as she would once again be reunited with her beloved family.

Elinor crept through the hallway, the magic the night once had was gone. The magic of fairy dust falling from trees, fairies chasing each other around Elinor's large garden, the dancing of the glass men pounding their feet –which sounded like tiny tiptoes- on the floor when they got restless. The loud snoring noises of the Brownies which mingled with the fairies, putting up arguments, trying to wake the brownies. The small sounds that could be heard from Mo's workshop, as he worked, and the way she'd find Meggie in her library when she couldn't sleep, Resa beside her. All gone. The night was silent, as if it had been shut down, and all the remained was darkness, dark and cold as Capricorn's heart. She felt tears coming down on her eyes. _Heavens above Elinor! _ She told herself. _Do you really have to cry?_ She walked faster now, like a little child afraid of the dark.

She finally got to Darius' room. Was he asleep already? '_It won't matter, I'll just wake him up'. _thought Elinor. _And if he's too tired to read, well then, that's no excuse. I'll just bring him to the kitchen and make him some coffee. That'll wake him. You're a genius Elinor, _for the first time in weeks she managed a small grin. Then she knocked on the door. No answer came from inside, not even the slightest hint of movement was inside the room. A horrible thought came into her head, she saw Basta's knife, and Basta swinging it around like a child with a new toy, as she had so often seen in her dreams. _He's asleep _Elinor told herself, _Just asleep, you're always so quick to think the worst. Curse it, He's Asleep Elinor! _She didn't try knocking again, she just tried opening it. Locked.

_Heavens above, Now I have to go down and get the key. _Cursing quietly, Elinor walked back downstairs, this walk seemed longer, because fear mingled with the darkness. Suppose something _had _happened to Darius? Suppose…Suppose…_Look at yourself Elinor! Stop thinking like this! You're behaving like a child! _ _But…Darius never locks his door! Aghhh!!! _Elinor felt like her head would explode any second now.

Elinor finally got the key, she walked very rapidly this time. Like she was being chased by Basta, Flatnose and their dogs once again. Then she was finally in front of the door. She felt like turning back, then she cursed herself. _You're thinking like a child Elinor. It's just a door! Heavens above, you're staring at it as if some monster will emerge from it any second now. _She smacked her head, like all the fear would be smacked away too, but it wasn't. Her hands shook as she turned they key in the lock then finally she hesitantly creaked the door open. She looked into the room, and her face went pale.


End file.
